What's happening
This bill removes local cost-sharing requirements, making New York State fully responsible for expenditures related to raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction above fifteen.
Why it matters
Shifts full fiscal responsibility to the state. By removing all local cost-sharing requirements, the bill ensures that counties and New York City will not have to budget for any new costs incurred from "Raise the Age" reforms, potentially easing local government financial pressure.
Eliminates waiver and hardship application process. The previous law allowed localities to apply for waivers if they could demonstrate financial hardship; this bill removes that process, making state funding automatic and potentially reducing administrative burdens.
Could improve implementation consistency statewide. With the state covering all eligible new costs, there may be fewer disparities between wealthier and poorer counties in how "Raise the Age" policies are implemented, potentially leading to more uniform juvenile justice practices.
May impact state budget and priorities. The shift of financial responsibility to the state could require increased state funding or reallocation of resources, affecting other budgetary priorities or prompting new debates about state spending.
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Who cares
Headline styles
End Local Juvenile Justice Fees
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
277
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. ORTT -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend the state finance law, in relation to the local share requirements associated with increasing the age of juvenile jurisdiction
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 54-m of the state finance law, as added by section 104 of part WWW of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
§ 54-m. Local share requirements associated with increasing the age of juvenile jurisdiction above fifteen years of age. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, counties and the city of New York shall not be required to contribute a local share of eligible expenditures that would not have been incurred absent the provisions of [a] chapter fifty-nine of the laws of two thousand seventeen that added this section [unless the most recent budget adopted by a county that is subject to the provisions of section three-c of the general municipal law exceeded the tax levy limit prescribed in such section or the local government is not subject to the provisions of section three-c of the general municipal law; provided, however, that the state budget director shall be authorized to waive any local share of expenditures associated with a chapter of the laws of two thousand seventeen that increased the age of juvenile jurisdiction above fifteen years of age, upon a showing of financial hardship by a county or the city of New York upon application in the form and manner prescribed by the division of the budget. In evaluating an application for a financial hardship waiver, the budget director shall consider the incremental cost to the locality related to increasing the age of juvenile jurisdiction, changes in state or federal aid payments, and other extraordinary costs, including the occurrence of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04055-01-9
S. 277 2
a disaster as defined in paragraph a of subdivision two of section twenty of the executive law, repair and maintenance of infrastructure, annual growth in tax receipts, including personal income, business and other taxes, prepayment of debt service and other expenses, or such other factors that the director may determine].
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to the local share requirements associated with increasing the age of juvenile jurisdiction
Purpose
This legislation removes the requirement that a County stay within the tax cap in order to be eligible for reimbursement for costs related to raise the age.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 removes the language making it a requirement that a County stay within the tax cap in order to be eligible for reimbursement for costs related to raise the age, as well as the hardship provision that would no longer be necessary under this new law.
Section 2 is the effective date.
Justification
As part of Raise the Age, Counties were not going to have to pay for any costs associated with its implementation. However, the language as structured requires a County to stay within the property tax cap in order to receive this funding. Requiring counties to spend money to implement raise the age while staying under the property tax cap in order to receive reimbursement is counterintuitive. Because of this law, a County must expend money moving them closer to the tax cap without even considering other aspects of their budget. This legislation is simple in that it keeps the promise made to Counties, that whatever they spend to comport with Raise the Age they will be reimbursed without any gimmicks.
Legislative history
S. 6746 Referred to Finance.
Fiscal implications
Minimal.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the same date as section 104 of part WW of chapter 59 of the laws of 2017.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.